Many nonprofits will tell you the same thing at this time of year: Charitable donations decline during the summer.
Summer often means interrupted routines, vacations and the unfortunate reality that, for some people, a need doesn’t exist if it isn’t right in front of them.
Here are three ways we can combat the summer slump in giving:
Set up recurring gifts. Parishes that rely on week-to-week offertory collections are greatly impacted when giving drops off during the summer. If you aren’t enrolled in automatic giving at your parish or with other organizations you support, I strongly encourage you to do so. If you have an account with Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, you can also schedule recurring grant disbursements.
Think ahead to your year-end charitable goals. If you’re aiming to reach a certain level of charitable giving by the end of the tax year, consider spreading those donations throughout the year. This can provide much-needed consistency, especially for smaller charities.
Be aware of heightened needs, especially in your community. Summer often brings increased needs. For example, food pantries may need to serve families whose children are no longer receiving meals at school. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to practice generosity with your time, talent and treasure.
Let’s continue to support the causes we care about. In doing so, we can more intentionally cultivate the virtue of generosity throughout the year.
For more tips and information, visit kofc.org/familyfinance.
*****
DENNIS J. GERBER JR. is president and CEO of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund and a member of Father Patrick F. Pinder Council 3962 in Ramsey, N.J.








